A tipple that has developed a dedicated, and rightfully deserved, local fan base in its hometown of Salt Lake City, Golden Spike is a beer that one judge deemed “the stuff of liters.” Exceedingly quaffable and unabashedly unobtrusive, this beer is made to be drunk. Hitting the glass with a... Read More
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BC Review
The Expert Panel
The Beer Connoisseur® review was conducted as a round table single blind review by our panel of expert judges. Four to six judges reviewed 8-14 beers per session and submitted their individual scores and notes. The scores were averaged into a single score and notes compiled and summarized for publishing in magazine issues 1-14. These reviews have been republished here in this online format.
The names and biographies of the contributing judges were publsihed with each magazine issue and are listed below.
Charlie Gow - Founding Beer Review Coordinator (1960 - 2014)
Tim Artz
Tom Cannon
Phil Farrell
Pete Garofalo
Rick Garvin
Lee Anthony Hitchins
Owen Ogletree
My reviews
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
14 / 20
You expect complexity in a Belgian-style ale and this one has plenty. The aroma has hints of spun sugar, plums, currants, and spices reminiscent of grains of paradise and allspice. The beer is hazy, light brown, beige, with substantial initial head and nice lacing on the glass. Though alcohol is... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
The Anderson Valley Brewing Company has spent the past 25 years in Mendocino County producing stellar brews for appreciative beer lovers. Hop Ottin’ IPA, a brewery mainstay, is all about hops. It overflows with aromas of citrus fruit, bakery fresh bread, and hints of lavender and thyme. Rick was... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Fort Collins, Colo., is home to a number of excellent breweries, and Odell is no exception. Their 5 Barrel Pale Ale is a classic interpretation of the English-style Pale Ale, attesting to a restrained hand on the bittering hops and a skillful blending of malts, all producing a wonderfully... Read More
Appearance:
2 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Brewed in the classic Bavarian Weizenbier tradition and released each May, Dancing Man Wheat has amassed an army of loyal adherents. Throwing off dense, saturated notes of banana, cotton candy, warm bread, and ground cloves, this beer’s nose embodies a true Weizenbier. Mike honed in on the... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
Yet another mid-’90s entrant into craft brewing, Baltimore’s Clipper City brewery produces several lines of beers, all now under the Heavy Seas brand. Peg Leg Imperial Stout, revealing intensely pungent aromas of blackstrap molasses, dark roast coffee and rich milk chocolate, is archetypically... Read More